Hidden Talents

A New Workforce Rises

Anthony McIntosh, a chaplain at Winston-Choctaw County Correctional Facility in Louisville, Mississippi, understands the power of second chances.

Nearly 30 years ago, at age 17, McIntosh found himself inside a jail cell much like the ones encountered in his daily role.

Today, life is better.

A pastor in his local community, he dedicates his time to helping people stay on righteous paths. And, with support from TVA Economic Development’s Workforce Invest program, McIntosh and Winston County officials are giving incarcerated individuals a fresh start through the skilled trade of welding.

“When you think about someone who’s a product of his environment but is now looking to do something better for his family, that opportunity is now upon him. We’re giving him the tools to succeed through this program,” McIntosh said.

A welding program in Winston County, Mississippi, teaches inmates a skilled trade that can later help them secure good-paying jobs.

Launching Workforce Invest

Historically, opportunities like these were not always available.

In fact, before Workforce Invest, TVA Economic Development discovered a gap between open jobs within the Valley region and the skilled talent that could fill those positions.

“The TVA service area has not been immune to the national labor shortage, especially when it comes to skilled trades jobs,” Alex Sadler, program manager at TVA, said. “We don’t want to miss out on growth opportunities because we can’t find the right workers.

“It’s really important to build a strong and skilled workforce if we want our economies to keep growing, especially with companies moving in and expanding.”

That’s why, in 2022, TVA Economic Development and its partners at VisionFirst Advisors launched a pioneering program aimed at developing a highly trained workforce to meet the needs of businesses and industries across the Valley region.

Over the past three years, TVA along with community partners have awarded a combined $5.9 million in grants to 44 recipients across seven states, with potential to impact up to 5,400 workers.

Throughout her time managing Workforce Invest, Sadler has seen the powerful impacts of this initiative on communities, industries and people.

Working through local economic development agencies, Workforce Invest strives to boost the Valley region’s competitiveness by broadening access to training and expanding what Sadler calls the hidden talent pipelines.

“When I hear communities sell their workforce story, they’re selling those traditional pipelines – K through 12, post-secondary and adult learners – the incumbent worker population,” Sadler said.

“But these hidden pockets of people who don’t fit the traditional mold are still really important to building a holistic workforce.”

These hidden talent pipelines include individuals who aren't currently participating in the workforce, youth under the age of 18 looking for opportunities to explore career pathways, Veterans, and others.

Winston County’s welding program helps the business community by connecting area manufacturers to highly trained, qualified talent.

Rebuilding Lives

Winston County launched its welding program in 2023.

Two participants out of the initial cohorts are currently on parole. One of them, a gentleman in his early 50s, has received employment at a manufacturing facility in Fulton, Mississippi.

Glen Haab, executive director of the Winston County Partnership, was one of the architects in bringing the program to Mississippi.

He cold-called local manufacturers to see if they were interested in hiring nonviolent offenders and was met with overwhelming enthusiasm as employers looked to fill jobs in their industries.

“A lot of people in our area are big believers of second chances,” Haab said.

Haab collaborated with partners at the Winston-Louisville Career and Technology Center to develop a curriculum which provides all necessary certifications and instruction for participants to enter the welding trade upon completing their sentences.

He then secured funding to cover a portion of the program’s costs. For Winston County, this meant purchasing welding and safety equipment, as well as wraparound services such as mental health counseling for participants.

Beyond the direct benefits of giving formerly incarcerated people good-paying jobs, the program benefits the community by lessening the strain on a system that currently experiences high incarceration rates.

“Recidivism is a big thing in our area. Meaning, once these individuals get out on parole, they tend to wind up back into the incarcerated system,” Haab said. “We can give these individuals the tools necessary to get back into being a productive member of society. The more tools we give, the more barriers we can break down.”

The benefit to employers? Access to highly trained and qualified talent who are willing to go that extra mile, McIntosh says.

“If they use me as a reference, I want to be able to say, ‘I’m giving you a hard worker. I’m giving you someone who knows what failure is and is determined to not let that be a consistent in their life,” McIntosh said.

In Union County, Georgia, a heavy equipment program prepares young people for rewarding careers in the local construction industry.

Restoring Communities

The impact of Workforce Invest extends far beyond Mississippi.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains is the city of Blairsville, in Union County, Georgia – a bustling municipality within the state’s highest peaks.

Here, community members launched a heavy equipment program for local high schoolers to bolster the county’s residential construction industry and retain young talent within the region.

Following the pandemic, Union County experienced a housing boom as residents from larger metros moved to the area. There was a deficit in the workforce, however, both in terms of numbers and available workers with relevant skill sets. The county's young workers often left to pursue opportunities elsewhere.

Union County Development Authority partnered with Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation to apply for TVA’s assistance program.

The grant afforded Union County Schools the funds to outfit a new heavy equipment pathway offered as part of the Career, Technical and Agricultural Education program at the College and Career Academy.

In this program, high school students learn to operate real equipment, including a John Deere skid steer, Kubota mini excavator, Caterpillar telehandler, and a forklift. They work toward OSHA certification, learn safety protocols and receive training in email etiquette and writing resumes – everything needed to secure a job straight out of high school.

Business owners like Mike Patton, of Patton Excavating, are witnessing the program's success. Patton has observed a change in his workforce: employees are either over the age of 50 or under 35, a trend he attributes to the revival of workforce development programs in the area.

Steve Rowe, president of the Blairsville Union County Chamber of Commerce, agrees.

“We used to have a serious population problem. Now, instead of having an aging population, our demographics are changing because kids can stay here and work,” Rowe said.

Young people emerging from the heavy equipment pathway can also start at higher hourly rates, according to Patton, as the course provides the skills and certifications necessary to justify those extra dollars an hour.

For community leaders, the greatest benefit is altering the town’s trajectory and giving young people the chance to grow and establish careers in communities where they were raised.

“The risk for us is that young people leave our community," said Erik Brinke, director of administrative services and external relations at Blue Ridge Mountain EMC. "It’s not just about developing talent. It’s about retaining talent. The survival of our industries relies on these young folks.”

Tri-County Community College’s medical sonography program prepares students for in-demand jobs in western North Carolina and beyond.

Inspiring Potential

About 20 miles north of Blairsville, in Murphy, North Carolina, the positive impacts of Workforce Invest are also seen at Tri-County Community College’s medical sonography program.

Located in the westernmost tip of North Carolina, the college serves students from the remote, rural areas of Cherokee and Clay counties in TVA’s service territory, and surrounding counties.

Before launching the sonography program, school administrators identified a significant gap in their offerings. Three hospitals within 30 miles of the college had open sonography positions, yet the nearest sonography program was 60 miles away.

"The demand was there. Every semester people asked for a sonography program, so we decided to create one ourselves," Julie Payne, medical sonography instructor at Tri-County Community College, said.

Now in its second cohort, the medical sonography program provides students with real-life training, using programming supported by TVA. This exposure prepares students for a wide range of job opportunities in sonography, leading to rewarding and well-paying careers.

Workforce Invest also helped students like Hannah Carson cover program costs. Working as a certified nursing assistant, Carson decided to switch careers after learning she was going to be a mother.

“Watching the ultrasound of my baby going from a peanut to a person was extraordinary,” Carson said. “The more I saw him, the more I fell in love with the idea of bringing that same joy to other mothers.”

At 21 weeks pregnant, Carson joined the sonography program at Tri-County Community College. Through Workforce Invest, she was able to cover part of the program not covered by financial aid.

“I was on maternity leave, so I couldn’t work. We had various costs that added up. The support from Workforce Invest definitely eased my burden,” Carson said.

Whether it’s providing second chances, helping young people enter the workforce or easing the burden for working parents, TVA's mission remains clear: to improve life in the Valley region for generations to come.

With her baby now about 9 months old, Carson looks forward to her graduation in 2026 – and entering a new and exciting field.

“My little boy will be 2 then,” Carson said. “That’s what motivates me – him sitting in the front row and watching me graduate. I hope that will inspire him.”